Using Tritium Sights versus Flashlight

[GardoneVT]

Could there be a difference of mission which influences the benefits or drawbacks of night sights?

Example- when I had my close call self defense case, the target was clear and it was dusk- plenty of light to see both the sights, and ID the guy with his right hand in his hoodie pocket as being bad news. Given how civil self defense , usually , legally requires acting AFTER a criminals already initiated hostilities, picking out who to shoot wouldn't be as much of a challenge as a LEO or military member responding to a dynamic situation already happening.

Ergo, in civil defense the bad guy usually IDs himself by nature of their attack. In Public Service you're coming into a situation unaware initially of the players, which makes ID more critical.

[Mr_White]

Not trying to one up anybody, just noting my viewpoint and where I am coming from.

I know you're not, and that background is why I really appreciate your comments. Thank you.

[Chuck Haggard]

Could there be a difference of mission which influences the benefits or drawbacks of night sights?

Example- when I had my close call self defense case, the target was clear and it was dusk- plenty of light to see both the sights, and ID the guy with his right hand in his hoodie pocket as being bad news. Given how civil self defense , usually , legally requires acting AFTER a criminals already initiated hostilities, picking out who to shoot wouldn't be as much of a challenge as a LEO or military member responding to a dynamic situation already happening.

Ergo, in civil defense the bad guy usually IDs himself by nature of their attack. In Public Service you're coming into a situation unaware initially of the players, which makes ID more critical.

How would tritium sights detract from that scenario?

[TCinVA]

Could there be a difference of mission which influences the benefits or drawbacks of night sights?

Example- when I had my close call self defense case, the target was clear and it was dusk- plenty of light to see both the sights, and ID the guy with his right hand in his hoodie pocket as being bad news. Given how civil self defense , usually , legally requires acting AFTER a criminals already initiated hostilities, picking out who to shoot wouldn't be as much of a challenge as a LEO or military member responding to a dynamic situation already happening.

Ergo, in civil defense the bad guy usually IDs himself by nature of their attack. In Public Service you're coming into a situation unaware initially of the players, which makes ID more critical.

You're talking about determining the difference between a threat and a non-threat. That's white light territory.

Night sights are a "I've already determined that guy is a threat, and all he's exposed is half of his face and his gun hand around a concrete wall, and I need to shoot him in the face before he does the same to me." device.

White lights are an instrument to help you make the decision to shoot. Low light sighting methods are devices you use once the decision to shoot has been made. Once I've decided that guy needs to get shot, the tritium sights or a laser are just there to help me guide the bullet into his anatomy vice anyone/thing else. Tritium dots and lasers have nothing to do with identifying a threat.

At best all they can tell you is whether or not you can make the shot you need to make in the moment you're trying to make it. If we consider the plight of a police officer who is trying to engage a bad guy with innocents around, the feedback from his sights may, at best, tell them that it would be too risky to innocents to attempt the shot. Or, conversely, because he has tritium/laser he might have enough aiming precision to make a shot where he otherwise wouldn't.

[Wendell]

...virtually every high level USPSA shooter uses a fiber optic front sight...

In Rattenkrieg (Ch. 2, Pg. 49-50), Robert Taubert said: "The biggest problem with sight selection is front sights that are so wide they obscure the target at longer ranges...front sights should be no larger than .90-.100". However, tritium nightsight inserts often require that the manufacturer use a meatier front sight post."

[Rosco Benson]

I prefer to have a tritium vial in the front sight only. That said, vials in the rear sight don't particularly bother me. I just hate paying for stuff that I don't really need or want. It would be great if TruGlo's TFO patent would expire or if they would license other makers to use their arrangement to make quality sights (the TruGlos are not very durable, limited in fit choices, and only available as front/rear sets).

I recall having a conversation with Ken Hackathorn many years ago wherein we were discussing the utility of night sights. We both knew and could demonstrate that one's normal presentation to one's normal stance (I hate the term "stance", but you know what I mean) would yield good hits on targets at typical pistol engagement ranges, even if it was too dark to see the sights well. What Ken interjected was his observation that once one deviated from one's habituated stance (to use cover, etc), that the night sights were a BIG help.

Anyway, I want a tritium front sight, a hand-held light, and a weapon-mounted light, if I can arrange it. If you need it and don't have it, you can't go fetch it.

Rosco

[TheTrevor]

Anyway, I want a tritium front sight, a hand-held light, and a weapon-mounted light, if I can arrange it. If you need it and don't have it, you can't go fetch it.

Truth.

[David Armstrong]

Dudes killed a lot of bad guys with M1 garands, you don't see them still in use because better options and advantages have come along.

Different options with different advantages have come along. I don't know that they are better!
Regarding the night sights, I've had to bring my gun out a number of times when it was/would be difficult to see non-illuminated sights but that tritium sure was easy to find. I don't say they are essential but I do know that given the choice I'll put them on my fighting handgun every time I can.

[breakingtime91]

Different options with different advantages have come along. I don't know that they are better!
Regarding the night sights, I've had to bring my gun out a number of times when it was/would be difficult to see non-illuminated sights but that tritium sure was easy to find. I don't say they are essential but I do know that given the choice I'll put them on my fighting handgun every time I can.

I met a Korean War vet (0311) who was greeting us when I came back from my second deployment. We got on the topic of combat and he said "I would of really liked more bullets like you marines carry now but man that -06 could sure drop those bastards." I love talking to older vets, so much perspective lol.

[Casual Friday]

I've pointed a gun at people (legally) in low light, no light, and daylight and in each instance the necessity of having to maybe shoot them was very real. In one of those lighting conditions, the night sights were unnecessary but they certainly didn't hurt anything being there along for the ride. My last carry gun did not have night sights and I really never was comfortable with that.

I run what I call the Fakeathorn's. I black sharpie'd the rear tritium vials on my Sig Lite night sights to make them slightly dimmer and painted the front hi viz orange. If a pair of Ameriglo Hackathorn sights and a pair of Trijicon HD sights had a little poor white trash baby, it would look like the night sights on my Sig Pro.